A review by carl_still_reading
Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt

challenging dark informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I’m calling it now … 
🪱Brainwyrms🪱
is one of, if not my favourite book of the year 🏆 

Talking about this book is so difficult as it’s defiantly not for everyone. It’s gross, vile and at times pornographic. It’s vulgar and shocking and downright uncomfortable. It’s a genuine extreme horror that many people will not enjoy. 

However as I read the book, it turned out to be more than I thought. Yes it’s an extreme horror, but it also tackles heavy topics of transgender hate which is probably the most horrific part of the book. 

We follow Frankie, who has got her life back together after a transphobic woman bombed her workplace and her meeting with a mystery woman named Vanya. As the relationship develops we start to peel back the curtain to find out who Vanya really is. 

I’m honestly so blown away by this book. To me it’s a genre defying book that is part extreme horror, part political horror, part biography almost. Rumfitt discusses the very relevant topic of trans hate in Britain and how truly ugly and horrific it really is. 



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